explanation of the word, we must then recur to other fources of information.

We find this fubftantive used in the Apocrypha, and by the prophet Ezekiel, to fignify chastisement, or a punishment inflicted in order to produce reformation.

Wifd. of Sol. xi. 13. When they heard others were benefited, δια των ίδιων κολασεων, by their own punishment, they perceived the Lord, i. e, were convinced he was God. Comp. v. 16, 21, 23 to 26. Read chap. xii. throughout.

Ezek. xiii. 11. Και αυτοι λήψονται την κόλασιν αύξων περι πάντων των εποίησαν.

And if they be

ashamed of all that they have done. English transl. Here, caftigationem accipio, means erubefco; Comp. ver. 10, which is the fenfe given to it in the Latin Vulgate, and in the Chaldee paraphrafe. The Latin translation of the Syriac in this paffage is, “quod fr “retrahant sese ab his quæ fecerunt.”

Kolaris was alfo used in the sense of chastisement, or corrective punishment, by the heathen philofophers."Dicemus ergo in pœnis refpiciant utili“tatem ejus qui peccarit, aut ejus cujus intererat "non peccatum effe, aut indistincte quorumlibet. Ad "horum trium finium primum pertinet pœna quæ

philofophis modo νεθεσια, modo κολασις, modo

aves, dicitur; Paulo jurifconfulto, pœna quæ "conftituitur in emendationem, σW‡POVIJEWS EVEKα, "Platone, Plutarcho pia uxs animi medica"tris, quæ hoc agit ut cum qui peccavit reddat.

"meliorem medendi modo qui eft per contraria." Grotius de jure belli et pacis, lib. ii. cap. 25, fec. 6.

Thus, from the derivation of the word noXaris. from the occafional ufe of it in the Septuagint, from the proper meaning of it according to the Greek philofophers, and from the fubject of future punishment inflicted by an all-perfect Being, with which it is connected in Matt. xxv. 46, it appears, that it fhould be understood of a painful corrective chastisement to improve the fufferer. The word avioS that is joined to it, we have already fhewn, affords no objection to the punishment being of a limited duration.

SECTION XI.

Arguments to fhew that Future Punishment will reform the Wicked, and fit them for pure and Spiritual Happiness.

Not one of the expreffions relating to future pu nishment which we have confidered, afcertains the length of its duration. Even those that imply the termination of it by a fecond death, do not intimate after what period of fuffering this event will take place. Nor does any word point out the use of punishing the wicked in the world' to come, except the term xoλaσs, which denotes the purpose of it to be, the benefit of the person who endures it. Though this does not determine its duration, yet it comes as near to it as the nature of the cafe will

admit, in a general affertion refpecting the condition of the wicked at large in the life after this. For, in a wife, equitable, and kind government, that punifhment which is best adapted to reform the sufferer, will, in every instance, be proportioned to the exact circumftances of the particular perfon upon whom it is inflicted. In each cafe, then, it will of course be different, both in kind, degree, (Matt. x. 15,) and duration, though merciful in every one. Jefus, in Matt. v. 22, and by the parables of the prodigal fon, of the talents, of the pounds, and of the generous creditor; and Paul, in his epiftle to the Romans, ii. 11 to 16, as well as many other paffages of the New Teftament, inform us, that future punishment will be proportioned to the degree of vice.

Our Lord, therefore, in the awful and impreffive defcription which he has given of the proceedings of the laft judgment of mankind, has felected the term xoλaris, in no other place in the New Teftament applied to the future ftate, in order to explain, with the greater precifion, the final recompenfe of the finner. There feems, in Matt. xxv. 46, to be an evident allufion to the Septuagint tranflation of Daniel xii. 2, which was commonly used in Judea, when our Lord appeared. The expreffion, (any alwvior, is literally adopted, in order to describe the recompence of the righteous. But inftead of αισχυνην αιώνιον, the expreffion, xolaσiv aiwvior, appears to have been purposely substituted, as comprehending that variety of painful chastisement, both in kind, and

degree, and duration, which the highest ideas of the perfection of the Supreme Parent and Ruler naturally lead us to fuppofe He will inflict upon his children and fubjects, according to the nature and magnitude of their offences. Even in human governments, a wife and good magiftrate would employ temporary corrective chaftifements for the reformation of criminals, that they might be reftored to usefulness and happiness in fociety, in preference to capital punishments, if he could devife proper ones, and fecure

Now with refpect to the

fuccefs in the use of them. Supreme Lord and Parent of all, there is unerring wisdom to contrive infallible means, boundlefs goodnefs to incline him to employ them, and almighty power to accomplish every end that Infinite Perfection propofes.

Further; punishment that amends, and finally benefits, the fubject of it, is analogous to the prefent moral government of God. He now employs natural evil, to correct and root out moral evil. Can we fuppofe, then, that in the future world, in which all the feemingly irregular and unequal diftributions of the present state will be rectified, the pain inflicted upon finners will be lefs beneficial to the individual and to fociety, and lefs honourable to the character of the all-perfect Being, who has appointed it as part of the great plan of his wife and kind government of the univerfe? Can we doubt that the final refult will be happiness to every individual, and that the Being who faw the end from the beginning, and who

rejoiced at the first formation of his works, and pronounced them all to be good, will do the fame at the completion of that benevolent scheme which He himself contrived, and of which He fecures the execution? Can we fuppofe that Infinite Perfection would create myriads of rational creatures, capable of endless enjoyment, either finally to reduce a great majority of them to utter death, or non-existence, or to preserve them alive for ever, merely to endure everlasting torments? Can we imagine that He, who is effentially happy himself, will thus spread misery or deftruction more widely than He does happiness?

Thefe natural fuggeftions of the human heart are confirmed by the Chriftian fcriptures. For let it be particularly observed, that the term xoλaris, refpecting the recompence of the wicked, is folemnly and authoritatively applied to the concluding scene of the Gofpel difpenfation by the very person who introduced and conducted it, and at which he affures us that he himself will prefide as the judge of all men, and will pronounce the folemn fentence of each. The word conveys an idea which peculiarly harmonizes with the benign fpirit of his own inftitution, and of his own character, and with the perfection of the God of love, by whofe commiffion he acted, and whom he has habitually reprefented as the kind parent of his whole family on earth.

When our Lord tells us, ftrait is the ftrait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth to unceasing life, and few there be that find it; Matt. vii. 14: and his Apostle